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Let me offer two illustrations how the "mainstream" media has run awry, and then talk about how the Internet is making it possible for ordinary citizens to get the truth out in a way that was impossible only a few years ago.

"The big question is why. Why did this story, of all stories, reach such a critical mass; why did Terri Schiavo, of all people, ignite such a deep, visceral emotional response in so many of her fellow citizens; why have so many people devoted so much energy and commitment to this case - - some utterly intent upon keeping her alive, others adamantly believing she should be left to die as quickly as possible? This controversy hit the stratosphere, I believe, because of one simple but very powerful innovation: the Internet."

Wesley Smith, "The Case Heard Round the Web," www.weeklystandard.com.

"Some believe that it is possible that President Bush was re-elected because of the work of 'bloggers.' As you'll remember, 60 Minutes Two produced a politically incendiary memo purporting to prove that Mr. Bush received preferential treatment in the 1960s while a member of the Texas Air National Guard. It took bloggers a matter of hours to raise serious questions, not difficult because the memo was a transparent phony. A few weeks later Dan Rather announced he was going to retire a year early."

Dave Andrusko, Today's News & Views, March 28 The Drudge Report reports that over the last 24 hours of March 28, 2005, it received 9,322,361 visitors to that web site.

Over the first week in April, National Right to Life Committee's (NRLC) web site received 100,000 more visitors than usual. We've had more than 9,000 Florida "Will to Live" documents downloaded in the past few weeks. That is more "Will to Live" downloads than from almost all other states combined in the past year.

It shouldn't require the tragic, unnecessary death of a vulnerable woman for pro-lifers to take advantage of National Right to Life's influential web site: www.nrlc.org. The Internet provides us with a golden opportunity to influence public policy to the advantage of unborn babies and the medically vulnerable.